Exam (elaborations)
NURS 537 Spinal Cord Injury Case Study VERIFIED 100% CORRECT
- Course
- NR 341
- Institution
- University Of Calgary (UCalgary )
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
[Show more]
Content preview
University ofCalgary
NURS 537
Spinal Cord
Injury Case
Study
:Scenario
T.W. is a 22-year-old man who fell 50 feet from a chairlift while skiing and landed on hard-
packed snow. He is now at the emergency department (ED) with a suspected T5-T6 fracture
.with paraplegia
:Chart View
Physician’s Orders
· Insert Foley catheter
· ECG monitoring
· Immobilize the cervical spine
· Oxygen at 4 L per nasal cannula
· Initiate two large bore IVs
· Neurologic assessment every hour
· Apply warming blankets as needed
1. Describe a plan for implementing these physician's orders.
• To implement this order I would first start by first immobilizing the cervical spine. This is
considered an emergency and is critical because improper movement can cause further
damage and loss of the neurological function. Next I would make sure the patient has his
O2 to help facilitate his breathing, I would make sure the patient is connected to the ECG
monitor next I would start the IV to have access to administer medications easily being
that the patient it immobilized. After that I would complete my neurological assessment
by assessing the patients motor and sensory function, testing the patient ability to squeeze
my hands, move fingers and toes and monitor for signs of autonomic dysreflexia. Next I
would insert foley catheter, bladder is atonic and can become over distended in spinal
shock. The bladder may become hyperirritable with reflex emptying after spinal shock
subsides, so this may require indwelling catheter. Lastly, I would apply the warming
blanket as needed to promote thermoregulation which can be impaired by the spinal
injury.
2. What other interventions might be done by the ED nurse?
, • The ED nurse should continuously monitor the patients respiratory status which is the
first priority. Involuntary respirations can be affected due to a lesion. The nurse should
provide oxygen and suction as needed, and assist with coughing by applying abdominal
pressure when he patient is attempting to cough.
3. Awareness of the prehospital management of an SCI is critical to each patient's
ultimate neurologic outcome. What actions will the nurse take to ensure this goal is
met?
• To ensure the goal is met the nurse should know how to properly handle a patient with a
spinal cord injury. The nurse should be aware that improper handling of the patient can
cause further damage and loss of neurologic function. The nurse should know that, at the
scene of the injury, the patient must be immobilized on a spinal board, with the head and
neck maintained in a neutral, position to prevent an incomplete injury from becoming
complete.
4. The physician orders the following for T.W.: IV methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol),
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller DYNAMICSCORES. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for CA$15.96. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75632 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now